Life preserver



Marchal, 1931. M MA'RGOUTH 1,798,479

` LIFE PRESERVER Filed Sept. 24, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheen*l l March 31, 1931. M. MARGOLITH LIFE PRESERVER Filed Sept. 24, 1928 2 Sheets-Shee1 llaa:

Patented Mar. 31, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE MORDICHA MARGOLITH, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA LIFE PRESERVER This invention has to do with a life preserver and it is an object of the invention to provide an effective, practical and improved device to be used in water as a life preserver or for purpose of amusement.

The devices ordinarily provided for use as life preservers or for purpose of amusement are buoyant structures capable of holding a person afloat but have no means for propulsion.

It is an object of this invent-ion to provide a device of the character mentioned embodying a buoyant construction for keeping a person afloat and also propelling means whereby the person can advance through the water.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character mentioned in which the buoyant means and operating parts of the propelling means are related so that a person held afloat by the buoyant means is in position to conveniently and effectively actuate the operating means.

A further obj ect of the invention is to provide a device of the character mentioned with a buoyant means for eectively and dependably supporting a person in a predetermined position under severe conditions such as are encountered at sea or in large bodies of water.

The various objects and features of my invention will be best and more fully understood from the following detailed description of typical forms of the invention, throughout which description I refer to the. accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. lis a plan view of the device embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device being a view taken as indicated by line 2 2 on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front end elevation of the device being a view taken substantially as indicated by line 3 3 on Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detailed transverse sectional view taken as indicated by line 4 4 on Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a part of the propelling means being an enlarged view taken as indicated by line 5 5 on Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the parts shown in Fig. 5 being a view taken as indicated by line 6 6 5 on Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 2

showing a modified form of the invention, and Fig. 8 is a. sectional view of the device shown in Fig. 7 being a View taken as indicated by line 8 8 on Fig. 7.

The preferred form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, includes, generally, a pair of buoyant elements or floats 10, supporting elements 11 extending between the floats for supporting a person between the floats, means 12 operable to propel the device, and a frame 13 connecting the floats 10 and the means 12. Y

The floats 10 may, in accordance with the broader principles of the invention, be of any suitable design and construction it being preferred that they be elongate members having suitably rounded ends 14. In the drawings I have shown the floats in the form of metal shells round in cross section. It is desirable that the floats be of the same size and shape so that the construction is balanced, and it is desirable to proportion them so that they will readily float or support the other parts of thedevice and also a person that may be using the device.

The supporting elements 11 connect to the float and are designed to hold the person being carried by the device. The elements may be in the form of straps arranged to extend between the floats and having their ends securedl or attached to the floats. In the construction illustrated I show a forward strap A located to engage a persons chest and a rear strap B located to engage a persons stomach or abdomen. The straps are preferably flexible, for instance they may be formed of fabric, or the like, and are long enough to conveniently accommodate a person so that the floats are at either side of the persons body when thedevice is in use.

The means 12 provided for propelling the device includes, generally, a propeller 20, hand cranks 21, a gear mechanism 22, and a drive shaft 23. The propeller 20 may be of the ordinary screw type of propeller commonly used for propelling objects or vessels through water. The hand cranks 21 are carried on opposite ends of the drive shaft 23 of the gear mechanism and each includes a lever projecting from the .Shaft and a handle 26 on the outer end of the lever. The hand cranks are mounted so that their levers extend in opposite directions from the shaft and the handles at the outer ends of the two cranks are carried on rotatable lugs 26a so that they may remain in vertical position during operation. Each handle is carried on the upper end of a shaft 25b rotatably carried in the lug 26a. A rudder 26C is carried by the lower end of the shaft 26h. A spring pressed ball 2Gd is carried inthe lug 26a to normally yieldingly engage the shaft 261 to hold it in position where the rudder 26c is parallelwith the longitudinal axis of the device.

The gear mechanism 22 is provided for obtaining the desired speed ratio between the crank operateddrive shaft 23 and the drive shaft 25 which extends from the gear mechanism and carries the propeller. It is desired to gear the mechanism so that the drive shaft 25 turns considerably faster than the hand operated shaft 23. The gear mechanism preferably includes a suitably shaped housing 27, a drive gear 28 mounted in the hous- 1 ing on the shaft 23, a driven gear 29 xed on a counter shaft 29"L to mesh with the gear 2S, a bevel gear 29b fixed on the shaft 29a, and a bevel gear 29c mounted on the shaft 25 in mesh with the gear 29. The .shafts 23 and 29a are horizontally disposed and extend through the housing 27 in a direction transverse of the longitudinal axis of the device. The ends of the shaft 25 project from the housing to carry the hand cranks 2l.

rl'he vari-ous parts just described are preferably formed of lmetal and are designed and constructed to be as light as possible. lt is preferred to use metal which is not easily corroded by water. The shaft 25 may be carried in a tubular housing 70 extending rearwardly from the housing 27.

The frame 13 is provided to support the propelling means from the floats l so that the propeller is located below the floats and in position to operate effectively and so that the hand cranks 2l are in position to be conveniently operated by a person in the device. The frame preferably includes Vforward braces SO which extend downwardly and inwardly from the floats l0 to attach to the propelling means. The forward bracesV 30 are preferably attached to the .housing 27 ofthe gear mechanism. F or the proportioning of parts illustrated the housing 27 is forward of the floats and therefore the forward braces 30 extend forward from the floats as well as downwardly and inwardly. Rear braces 31 extend downwardly and inwardly lfrom the rear portions of the floats to carry the rear end portion ofthe propeller shaft 25. The braces 3l extend downwardly far enough to support the shaft so that the propeller is well below the floats, eliminating the danger of the person in the device being struck by the propeller. the preferredconstructon the braces and 31 may be pivotally connected to the floats and to the housing 70 of the propelling means, as shown throughout the drawings, so that the floats can be folded together when the device is not in use.

ln addition to the parts just described the device may be provided with a safety strap to be arranged between the upper parts of the floats to hold a person in position on the supporting straps ll. Further, suitable receptacles llmay beprovided on the floats for holding provisions to sustain the person in thedevice. The food or provision receptacles may have covers el@ operable to tightly seal the receptacles.

In using the device, for instance as a life preserver, the person 4is supported between the floats l0 on the straps 11, the properposition being with the chest on the strap` Aand the stomach or lower portion ofthe body on the strap B. The hands are then in position to conveniently engage the handles 26 of the hand cranks 2l so that the person can actuate the propelling means with little effort. It will' be obvious that rotation of the head cranks will cause rotation of the propeller so that the device is driven through the water. The floats, being at opposite sides of the persons body, are effectivein maintaining the person in the correct position so that the head is above the water and the body comfortably supported and yet free to move as desired. The propelling means enables the person to navigate through the water with more ease and at a much greater speed than a person can possibly swim. It will be obvious that the handles 25 cany be turned to direct the device as it is being driven by the propeller.

ln the form of the invention illustrated in `Figs. 7 and 8 I provide a single float l0a designed to represent a fish, or the like. The gearimechanism 22a of the propelling means is .located within the forward part of the float and the hand cranks 2la vare located at opposite sides of the forward end of the float. The propeller shaft 23a extends through the float s o that its rear end portion projects from the bottom of theiloat to carry the propeller below the rear end portionof the float. The float lOa is preferably made fairly broad and in practice may be provided with a ballast weight 50 for maintaining it inthe vdesired upright position. The top 60 of the float 10a may beshaped to form a convenient rest or support for .a persons body and if desired a safety strap l0a may attach to opposite sides of the float to .be arranged over a persons body. This form ofthe invention is intended primarily for use as atoy or amusement device and in use a person merely lays on the lloat facing the forward end of the float and operates the hand cranks to drive the propeller.

Having described Aonly typical preferred forms of my invention, I do not wish to limit myself to the specic details set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any changes or variations that may appear to those skilled in the art or fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A device of the character described including, a pair of longitudinally disposed floats, body supporting straps extending transversely of the device between the floats, propelling means including a propeller, a pair of oppositely disposed hand cranks operable about a horizontal axis transverse of the device, a rudder carried at each crank, a housed gear drive between the cranks and the propeller, and folding frame members pivotally attached to the floats aupporting the propelling means from the floats.

2. A device of the character described including, a pair of longitudinally disposed floats, body supporting straps extending transversely of the device between the floats, propelling means including a propeller, a pair of oppositely disposed hand cranks operable about a horizontal axis transverse of the device, a rudder rotatably carried on each crank for steering the device, a housed gear drive between the cranks and the propeller, and folding frame members pivotally attached to the floats and supporting the propelling means from the floats with the hand cranks at the forward end of the device and the propeller below the rear portions of the floats.

3. A device of the character described including a pair of spaced floats, a strap extending between the lower parts of the floats for supporting a body on the floats, a propeller arranged below the floats, a manually operable crank operable about a horizontal axis transverse of the device, means carried by the crank for steering the floats, a drive between the crank and propeller, and a flexible strap extending between upper parts of the floats.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 17 th day of September, 1928.

MORDICHA MARGOLITH. 

